Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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 Conventional treatment advocates pain relief medications, such as nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen or aspirin) or narcotics like Percocet. Diuretics are also sometimes prescribed for prevention of calcium oxalate stone formation. Besides medication, lithotripsy is an ultrasound treatment that breaks the stones into pieces that are small enough to pass in the urine. This procedure has largely replaced surgery as the preferred method for stone removal. (Note: If you're going to get surgery, it might be worth it to try acupuncture. |
Tori Hudson, N.D.
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 The aryl-propionic acid derivatives such as ibuprofen and naproxen are easily available over the counter and have been highly successful. Patients achieve a significant reduction in dysmenorrhea 60 to 90 percent of the time. Aspirin has not been shown to be any more effective than a placebo and is not generally used by women for menstrual cramps. However, aspirin in association with other proprietary agents in a combination medication such as Midol is reported by patients to be effective.
Another category of NSAIDs includes meclofe-namate (Meclomen) and mefenamic acid (Ponstel). |
| Often, women with chronic painful periods or pelvic pain are initially treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication such as ibuprofen, naproxen, or meclofenamate. As symptoms progress, patients usually resort to prescription analgesics and/or hormones. Since estrogen is known to stimulate the growth of endometriosis, treatment is aimed at suppression of estrogen synthesis. By achieving states of pseudopregnancy (through birth control pills) or pseudomenopause (through cessation of the body's own production of estrogen and progesterone), women have found significant symptom relief. |
| The following anti-inflammatories are usually given for the first three days of menses, or throughout the menstrual flow, and seem to have similar effects:
1. Ibuprofen: 600 mg every 6—8 hours
2. Naproxen sodium: 550 mg every 6—8 hours
3. Mefenamic acid: 500 mg first dose, then 250 mg every 8 hours
4. Meclofenamate sodium: 100 mg every 8 hours
5. Naproxen: 500 mg every 12 hours
NSAIDs may be used alone in some cases or combined with an oral contraceptive or progestogen. |
Michael Pollan
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 Joseph Hibbeln, the researcher at the National Institutes of Health who conducted population studies correlating omega-3 consumption with everything from stroke to suicide, says that the billions we spend on antiinflammatory drugs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen is money spent to undo the effects of too much omega-6 in the diet. He writes, "The increases in world [omega-6] consumption over the past century may be considered a very large uncontrolled experiment that may have contributed to increased societal burdens of aggression, depression, and cardiovascular mortality. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 Over 540 brand-name drugs are listed in the NewsTarget DrugWatch database, including Amoxicillin, Celebrex, Prozac, ibuprofen, Risperdal and others. Each health caution is backed by cited references. The data for this consumer guide was provided by Applied Health (www.AppliedHealth.com), a nutritional research and solutions company specializing in restorative nutritional therapies.
The NewsTarget DrugWatch database is updated monthly to reflect the latest research about drug-induced nutrient deficiencies. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 It is a natural supplement that works the same way as ibuprofen, the well-known over-the-counter drug. The only difference: bromelain will not harm your liver.
If you decide to take anti-inflammatory supplements following surgery, however, remember that inflammation is not always a bad thing. In fact, inflammation is your body's way of bringing blood and nutrients to the area that needs healing. Conventional doctors tend to take the view that all inflammation is bad, but that's an outmoded, limited view of the body's adaptive response to trauma. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 And these show every bit as effective anti-inflammatory activity as 400 mg of ibuprofen, for 9 hours. So here you've got something with activity comparable to a common anti-inflammatory drug, and Ibuprofen's a damn good anti-inflammatory, but primarily without some of the stomach hazards. I think that those are some of my picks. Cat's claw is a very significant anti-inflammatory. An herb that a lot of people don't know as much about is called andrographis, which is Chinese. I think we'll see a lot more from this anti-inflammatory.
Mike: Do you know the Chinese name for that herb? |
Benjamin H. Natelson, M.D.
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 Source: Centers for Epidemiological Studies on Depression (CES-D) oiep wne: veiling ueyunu repression
[U1 ibuprofen and massage. These "nonpatients" have a lower rate of depression than patients who actually seek care. However, not going to the doctor did not protect these people from depression. The simple fact is that people who consult doctors for medical problems have higher rates of depression and other psychiatric problems than people who go it alone. This probably has to do with the fact that people who seek health care tend to be sicker than those who do not. |
| Many doctors go from prescribing over-the-counter pain medicines like ibuprofen to prescribing narcotics like Percocet when pain continues. This is not good medicine. Percocet has no role in the treatment of chronic pain. If you are on your third visit to a doctor and either your pain remains or you are taking Percocet or another such narcotic, you need a referral to a pain management center. They will certainly know how to help you.
Is your specialist communicating with your primary-care doctor? |
| For example, if your ankle becomes swollen and painful after you take a misstep and twist it, you might try to treat it yourself by putting on an elastic bandage and taking some ibuprofen. But if it hurts to stand on the ankle and you fear that the problem is worse than a minor twist, you may decide that you need medical care and go to see a doctor. The moment you seek medical care, you become a patient.
Some of the things that make people seek medical attention are fairly typical, while others are unique to specific personal
7 characteristics. |
| Next is ibuprofen (often known by brand names like Motrin or Advil). Carefully done trials of this class of drugs in fibromyalgia (FM) have not shown a clear therapeutic effect, but many of my patients swear by them. The major toxicity from this class of drugs is gastric upset.
A new class of NSAIDs called Cox-2 inhibitors was developed to reduce this side effect. However, a number of large studies have found that these newer drugs have a higher rate of potentially lethal side effects, such as heart attack or stroke, than the old fashioned NSAIDs. |
| Although Celebrex is still available, I think its risk for people taking it chronically outweighs any potential benefit over ibuprofen. Whether these toxicities extend to the older class of NSAIDs is currently not known but is a question undergoing research.
When I recommend NSAIDs, I'm actually ignoring the fact that no good evidence exists for their use in reducing FM pain. However, in my experience, a substantial number of patients reporting muscle and joint pain indicate relief when using this class of drugs. |
Andreas Moritz
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 Take for example, ibuprofen, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Originally marketed as Nurofen, it is also known under the names Act-3, Advil, Brufen, Dorival, Herron Blue, Panafen, Motrin, Nuprin, Ipren, Ibumetin, Ibuprom, IbuHEXAL, Moment, Ibux, Ibufen and Ibalgin, depending on the country in which it is sold. Mostly it is used for symptoms of arthritis, primary dysmenorrhoea, fever and as an analgesic, especially where there is an inflammatory component. Popping the occasional Advil can lead to years of agonizing stomach distress. |
Craig Pepin-Donat
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 Ibuprofen, introduced in 1969 as a mild analgesic, can cause side effects as mild as fluid retention or as serious as active peptic ulcers. Only recently have new warnings been proposed for acetaminophen because of the risks of gastrointestinal bleeding and liver damage. Also introduced in 1969, the antibiotic amoxicillin can cause symptoms as mild as diarrhea or as severe as anaphylactic shock. Accutane, used to treat severe acne, causes birth defects, but it can also increase the risk of depression, psychosis, aggression and suicide.
According to Dr. |
Andreas Moritz
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| NSAID's, the common name for over a dozen or more non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (including aspirin, ibuprofen and acetaminophen), are used to treat rheumatoid and osteoarthritis 5. However, for the past few years, these drugs have been given to people for such simple complaints as recurring headaches or inflammation. In return for the pain relief, however, the patient may die as a result of gastric bleeding caused by the extreme toxicity of the drugs. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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| In one study, the COX inhibitory activity of anthocyanins from cherries was comparable to those of ibuprofen and naproxen. And researchers feel that in addition to helping with pain and inflammation, anthocyanins may help lower heart attack and stroke risk if consumed on a regular basis. As a bonus, these same anthocyanins may significantly reduce your risk for colon cancer, the third leading cancer in the United States.
But That's Not All, Folks! |
| Institute of Complementary Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, at the University of Zurich in Switzerland, took 204 patients and gently rubbed arnica or an ibuprofen gel over their affected joints three times a day for three weeks. The participants were asked not to wash their hands for one hour after application. |
| NSAIDs are over-the-counter nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen.)
In addition to fibromyalgia, magnesium has been shown to affect kidney stones. In animal studies, you can induce kidney stones by reducing the amount of magnesium in the diet. Conversely, supplementing with magnesium— and ideally vitamin B6 at the same time—will prevent the recurrence of kidney stones. The citrate form of magnesium is best (see combo cure for kidney stones on page 154). |
| Wobenzym N gives you the same effects as aspirin, ibuprofen, and NSAIDs without any of the side effects," Gordon says. "When you take NSAIDs [nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Advil], you're suppressing key parts of your body that could have helped you heal. With Wobenzym N you're getting at causes, not merely the suppression of the pain. The differences are dramatic."
Enzymes allow you to work with your body to suppress inflammation without allowing the damage and joint destruction to proceed. |
Patrick Holford
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 For example, a 1982 clinical study compared usage of the NSAID ibuprofen with that of glucosamine sulfate for osteoarthritis of the knee. During the first two weeks, the ibuprofen decreased pain faster, but by the fourth week the glucosamine group was well ahead in pain relief. The overall results showed that 44 percent of people in the glucosamine group had pain relief, compared with 15 percent of those taking ibuprofen. Because glucosamine is not an anti-inflammatory drug, it takes longer to start working, but it works equally well. |
Joan Liebmann-Smith, Ph. D., and Jacqueline Nardi Egan
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 Paradoxically, sweating at night is a common rebound reaction to antipyretic drugs—drugs such as aspirin, acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and other NSAIDs, which are used to lower fever. Night sweats can also signal anxiety, and unfortunately, some of the drugs used to treat anxiety can themselves cause night sweats. And night sweats can be a tip-off to alcohol and drug abuse.
In addition, sweating heavily at night can signal a number of systemic conditions, including GERD (see Excessive Burping, above), diabetes-related hypoglycemia, mononucleosis, and HIV/AIDS. |
| The common culprits include aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), as well as acetaminophen. Melena can also signal gastritis, an inflammation of the stomach lining, or cancer anywhere in the upper GI tract.
PALE POOP
You may think the importance of pale poop pales by comparison to that of black or red poop, and in some cases you may be right. Occasional pale, yellow, or even light gray poop can be a sign of having eaten a lot of white or light-colored food such as rice, potatoes, or tapioca. |
| WARNING SIGN
People with nasal polyps can be allergic to aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve). Because an allergic reaction to these drugs can be life-threatening, you should avoid them unless under the close supervision of your doctor.
A DRY NOSE
A dry nose can be just as irritating as a running nose. And while it's probably nothing much to worry about, it may be a sign of Sjogren's syndrome, a rare but serious autoimmune disease that interferes with the production of mucus and saliva. (See Appendix I. |
Andreas Moritz
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| According to a study of over 7,000 patients' medical records spanning eight years, if you take ibuprofen for any reason—say, arthritis pain relief—while engaged in aspirin therapy for heart disease, you are twice as likely to die from a heart attack or stroke because of the way these two powerful drugs interact. The study, which was conducted by Britain's Medical Research Council and published in The Lancet, was confirmed by another study published in the journal, Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases, on April 5, 2007. |
| For instance, you may have taken ibuprofen, a popular NSAID, a hundred times, but you can never
' A new study by the Tel Aviv University in Israel and a second one by the University of Miami concluded that ginger extract (255 mg per day for 6 or more weeks) may be optimal for the treatment of osteoarthritis. know for sure whether or when the body will suddenly become hypersensitive to the drug. When your body starts fighting the drug, it will go into an extreme inflammatory response that causes your skin to die and literally burn away. |
| A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine showed that use of NSAIDs such as aspirin and ibuprofen increased the risk of high blood pressure (HPP) by nearly 40 percent. Similar use of acetaminophen was found to increase HBP risk by 34 percent.
The following list provides you with alternative solutions to pain management, without interfering with the body's own efforts to heal itself:
• Boswellia (Boswellia serrata) is an Ayurvedic herb. It alleviates pain and improves mobility in people with arthritis. |
Marshall Editions
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 To treat viral infections: Acetaminophen (Tylenol®), or ibuprofen (Motrin®) may be used as directed to alleviate pain. Saltwater gargles (1 tsp of salt mixed in 2 cups of distilled water) may also be helpful. Eating cool foods that feel good to the throat for a couple of days may be more comfortable. Some plants, such as larch taken at 1 g twice a day, may decrease the length of the viral infection.
To treat bacterial infections: Penicillin and its derivatives are prescribed to treat tonsillitis. Erythromycin is used if a patient is allergic to penicillin. |
Donna Jackson Nakazawa
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 Blue-green algae (available at most health-food stores) contains omega fatty acids and the antioxidant phycocyanin and works similarly to a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen. Cranberries, blueberries, cherries, and blackberries are jam-packed with antioxidants called anthocyanins and polyphenols, which also have anti-inflammatory qualities. Leafy greens such as kale and spinach contain lutein, another superantioxidant. Cocoa carries flavonoids, particularly potent antioxidants that can zap free radicals and protect against inflammation. |
Melody Petersen
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 Pain relievers like aspirin and ibuprofen inhibit the Cox enzymes as they reduce pain. At the same time, these drugs often wreak havoc in the stomach and, in the worst cases, cause bleeding ulcers that kill. Merck and Searle scientists developed the new drugs on the theory that there were two kinds of Cox enzymes, Cox-1 and Cox-2. They theorized that a drug that selectively blocked only the enzyme known as Cox-2 would be far less harmful to the stomach than drugs like aspirin.
A safer anti-inflammatory drug would be an extraordinary and life-saving breakthrough. |
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